The present disclosure provides methods for detection and quantification of trimethylamine (TMA) or trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) comprising passing a sample over a sensor comprising a substrate having a plurality of chemically responsive dyes selected from the following classes of chemically responsive dyes: metal-containing dyes, pH indicators, or solvatochromic/vapochromic dyes. The disclosure also provides devices and sensors for the detection and quantification of TMA, and methods of diagnosing a subject having trimethylaminuria (TMAU).

A method for obtaining a point-of-collection, selected quantitative indicia of an analyte on a test strip using a smartphone involves imaging a test strip on which a colorimetric reaction of a target sample has occurred due to test strip illumination by the smartphone. The smartphone includes a smartphone app and a smartphone accessory that provides an external environment-independent/internal light-free, imaging environment independent of the smartphone platform being used. The result can then be presented quantitatively or turned into a more consumer-friendly measurement (positive, negative, above average, etc.), displayed to the user, stored for later use, and communicated to a location where practitioners can provide additional review. Additionally, social media integration can allow for device results to be broadcast to specific audiences, to compare healthy living with others, to compete in health based games, create mappings, and other applications.

A method for obtaining a point-of-collection, selected quantitative indicia of an analyte on a test strip using a smartphone involves imaging a test strip on which a colorimetric reaction of a target sample has occurred due to test strip illumination by the smartphone. The smartphone includes a smartphone app and a smartphone accessory that provides an external environment-independent/internal light-free, imaging environment independent of the smartphone platform being used. The result can then be presented quantitatively or turned into a more consumer-friendly measurement (positive, negative, above average, etc.), displayed to the user, stored for later use, and communicated to a location where practitioners can provide additional review. Additionally, social media integration can allow for device results to be broadcast to specific audiences, to compare healthy living with others, to compete in health based games, create mappings, and other applications.

The claimed invention relates to mobile computing monitoring of health statistics using chemically synthesized conjugate markers providing highly specific details of personal health states. Using portable computing and communications devices, commonly known as ‘smartphones’, personal health and wellness information is gathered from chemical markers and reported to the user. Chemical markers include chemicals which undergo a measurable color change when combined with body fluids such as saliva. Health information derived from chemical markers may be optically collected, locally reported and widely broadcast over a ‘cloud based’ internet data distribution system.

A feeding tube position confirmation device 102, operable to confirm the position of a predetermined portion of a medical feeding tube in a predetermined portion of a human or animal body, the position confirmation device comprising an optical waveguide 106 dimensioned to be insertable into the lumen of the feeding tube, the optical waveguide having a sensing distal end 108 comprising a distal end material and a sensing material mixed with the distal end material, the sensing material operable to provide a change in optical properties at the distal end 110 of the optical waveguide dependent on the environment to which the sensing distal end 108 of the waveguide is exposed. The sensing material may comprise a reflective material. Methods of manufacture and use of such devices are also described.

A detector arrangement for a blood culture bottle incorporating a colorimetric sensor which is subject to change of color due to change in pH or CO.sub.2 of a sample medium within the blood culture bottle. The detector arrangement includes a sensor LED illuminating the colorimetric sensor, a reference LED illuminating the colorimetric sensor, a control circuit for selectively and alternately activating the sensor LED and the reference LED, and a photodetector. The photodetector measures reflectance from the colorimetric sensor during the selective and alternating illumination of the colorimetric sensor with the sensor LED and the reference LED and generates intensity signals. The reference LED is selected to have a peak wavelength of illumination such that the intensity signals of the photodetector from illumination by the reference LED are not substantially affected by changes in the color of the colorimetric sensor.

The present document describes a method for the detection of off-flavor maple syrup made from buddy maple sap or maple sap contaminated with buddy maple sap, or off-flavor maple sap comprising measuring a spectrophotometric property of a nanoparticle reactive with a buddy maple sample having a size of from about 1 nm to about 250 nm contacting a maple sample. A change in the spectrophotometric property is associated with an off-flavor maple syrup or maple sap sample, and no change in the spectrophotometric property is associated with a good flavor maple syrup or maple sap sample.

A test kit (110) includes an at least partially transparent or translucent tubular collection chamber (122) which has a flow control valve (111) at the inlet end (122a) thereof. Flow control valve (111) has a mouth (112a) that is used to engage a Schrader valve (132) of a HVACR system to flow pressurized refrigerant fluid into the collection chamber (122) via flow control valve (111). The flow of the pressurized refrigerant fluid is throttled by flow control valve (111) to ensure that sufficient lubricating oil is separated from the refrigerant fluid and remains within the collection chamber (122), even as refrigerant is expelled from collection chamber (122) via vent holes (124). A collector (126) serves to accumulate separated lubricating oil. A frangible ampoule (128) which contains a liquid pH indicator (130) is crushed to contact the pH indicator with the separated lubricating oil to test the pH of the oil by color change of the pH indicator.

A test kit (110) includes an at least partially transparent or translucent tubular collection chamber (122) which has a flow control valve (111) at the inlet end (122a) thereof. Flow control valve (111) has a mouth (112a) that is used to engage a Schrader valve (132) of a HVACR system to flow pressurized refrigerant fluid into the collection chamber (122) via flow control valve (111). The flow of the pressurized refrigerant fluid is throttled by flow control valve (111) to ensure that sufficient lubricating oil is separated from the refrigerant fluid and remains within the collection chamber (122), even as refrigerant is expelled from collection chamber (122) via vent holes (124). A collector (126) serves to accumulate separated lubricating oil. A frangible ampoule (128) which contains a liquid pH indicator (130) is crushed to contact the pH indicator with the separated lubricating oil to test the pH of the oil by color change of the pH indicator.

An apparatus having: a container, a first openable vessel within the container, an analyte within the first vessel, and a vapochromic sensor within the container. The vapochromic sensor changes color on contact with a vapor of the analyte.